Us 19, Them 17

Generally, when the opposing team returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown, this is not a good way to start a football game. However, after that debacle and the ensuing flag fest that was our first drive, our young men finally got their act together, held their opponents to a field goal and then scored two touchdowns. There were a few tense moments in the fourth quarter when the other team scored another TD, making the score 17-13 with just under seven minutes left.

The Tall One has a buddy at school, a terrific kid we'll call Mr. SHS. They've gone to school together since the first grade. He's the football team's quarterback, co-captain of the basketball team, runs track and plays tennis - in other words, an all-around outstanding athlete. When he's playing, he is something to watch. And, I might add, he's a very nice young man to boot. Last night, Mr. SHS took his team from a not-so-decent field position somewhere around the 10 or 15 yard line and drove them all the way down the field in the last six minutes of the game and then took the ball in himself for the winning touchdown with :16 left on the clock.

Now, 16 seconds doesn't sound like a lot of time, but take it in context. The team we were playing managed to get three plays off in those 16 seconds. Three plays. They could easily have thrown three 30-yard passes and been in the endzone again, and we would have lost. I've seen pro football teams go the full length of the field in less time. It's all about time management.

Obviously, you can tell from the title of this post that we did manage to hold them off and win the game. And it was an exciting 48 minutes of football, not to mention the Sweetheart presentation (pre-game), the crowning of the Homecoming Queen (halftime) and the band's terrific, totally new show (post-game), which all made for one pretty cool family night. When we finally dragged ourselves home at 11:30, we were all pretty much wiped out. And cold. It was already somewhere around 45 degrees by the time the game got started, and my poor child in her strapless dress was a popsicle by halftime (yes, she was smart enough to bring jeans and a longsleeve shirt to change into after the presentations were over).

I love fall. You've probably figured that out by now. The leaves are finally starting to turn, the air is crisp and light, and we're promised abundant sunshine again today. And what am I going to do? Hole myself up in the JBTAuthor Study and write like a madwoman.

You can bet your sweet bippy my windows will be open, though.

Enjoy the day. Do good for you things.

=) JB